Journal-bearing.



PATENTED AUG. 20, 1907.

F. KIEFEL. JOURNAL BEARING. APPLIUATION FILED ooms, 190s.

wh/lega@ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

FRANK KIEFEL, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ALBERT J.I-IAUSEB, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

JOURNAL-BEARING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 20, 1907.

Application filed October 23, 1903. Serial No. 178,176.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK KIEFEL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio,have invented certain 5 new and useful Improvements in Journal-Bearings,of

which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved journal bearing forshafts and my invention consists in the combination and arrangement ofparts hereinafter l described and claimed.

In the drawings Figure l, is a longitudinal section of a journal boxembodying my invention; and Figs. 2 and 3, sections on line 2 2 and 3-3respectivelyr of Fig. I.

I5 Reference letter A denotes the shaft; B, the journal box; and C, abearing in box B.

The shaft A is provided with annular grooves a into which the ends b ofbox B fit. Bearing C is mounted j in box B in a ball and socket bearingc, thus rendering 2O the bearing C flexible to adjust itself to anyslight disalinement of shaft A. At b the box B is provided with a tapscrew for the admission of oil and with a channel b2 to conduct the oilto the lower portion of the box. A tap screw b3 is also provided fordraining box B when desired. Bearing C is provided with holes c and agroove c2 for applying oil to shaft A.

In operation box B is filled with oil up to the level of the bottom ofthe opening in the ends of the box, or in other words until the oilflows or is about to flow from the end openings of the box. At thislevel of oil, the lower portion of shaft lies below the level of oil tothe extent of the depth of grooves a. Consequently oil flows up throughholes c/ into grooves c2 to keep the surface of shaft A constantlyoiled, by what amounts in effect to an actual submersion of the lowerportion of the shaft in a bath of oil. Thus the shaft is practicallyflooded with oil and the oil used over and over again without waste.

It will be noted that the engagement of the grooves a with the ends b ofbox B serves to prevent longitudinal movement of the shaft, thusobviating the use of collars and also serves to exclude dust from thebearing.

In some cases, where flexibility is not required, the bearing C may bemade rigid in box B with good results.

It is obvious that this bearing maybe used for mount- 4 5 ing shafts oraxles in any form of machinery as well as for mounting line shafts.

I claim as my invention:

l. A journal box in combination with a shaft bearing C loosely -mountedtherein on a single hall bearing n, 5() whereby the bearing C isrendered flexible to adjust itself to the shaft in any directionindependently of the box, substantially as specified.

2. In a journal bearing, the combination of a shaft having annulargrooves therein; a journal box formed in 55 two parts and provided withclosed ends engaging the grooves, and a substantially semi-cylindricalbearing' inclosed in the box and mounted in a single ball bearingtherein, whereby the bearing is rendered flexible to adjust itself tothe shaft in any direction, substantially as specified. l

3. The combination of a shaft having' grooves a, box B formed in twoparts having closed ends l) engaging grooves 1J; bearing C inclosed inbox B and provided with ball bearingc, there being openings o1 andgroove o2 for sup G5 plyng oil to the shaft, substantially as speciied.

FRANK KIEFEL.

Witnesses'.

ALBERT J. Hausen, BnAxCroN G. RICHARDS.

